2. Two recent professional passport-type photographs

3. Letter of Authorization.

• You must complete and include TWO COPIES of a Letter "Attn: U.S Passport Agency" stating: "I, (applicant name), hereby authorize Travel Document Systems to pick up my passport, and to discuss the status of my application with the Passport Services staff."
• Click here to print a sample of the Authorization Letter.
  
• One copy of this letter, with original signature in BLUE INK, should be placed inside your sealed envelope by the passport clerk and the other should be paper-clipped to the outside of that envelope
  
  

• A certified birth certificate, issued by state or county health department or vital statistics bureau (not hospital certificates); -or-
• A naturalization certificate; -or-
• A certificate of citizenship; -or-
• A Consular report of birth abroad; -or-
• A previous U.S. passport (if issued more than 15 years ago, or you were under 16 years when your most recent passport was issued).
  
  

• Effective February 01, 2004, all minor children applying for passports are required to appear in person at the local acceptance agency.

• Take the above requirements to your local acceptance agent for Passport Applications (usually a post office or county clerk or court house).
• Pay the clerk the U.S. government fee, including rush fees and execution fees:
  • $160.00 for adults,
  • $145.00 for children under 16 years.
• Be prepared to write two checks for the total amount, as the clerk will retain $25.00 execution fee.
• Please write your name and date of birth on the check.
• Credit cards are not accepted for this part of the transaction.
• Ask the clerk to execute the passport application documents and place them in a sealed envelope addressed to "U.S. Passport Agency". (You must not open this envelope again before shipping it).
  
  

• The Application Form DS-11 and the Statement Regarding lost or stolen Passport DS-64
• The Letter of Authorization
• The Proof of Departure (Itinerary)

• Your Proof of U.S. Citizenship
• The Application Forms DS-11 and DS-64, the photographs, and the appropriate Government fees
• The Letter of Authorization
• The Proof of Departure (Itinerary)

• A copy of the Application Form DS-11
• A copy of the Letter of Authorization
• A copy of the Proof of Departure (Itinerary)
• A completed Cover Page and fees for TDS expediting services

Processing Instructions
Please forward the completed requirements; sealed envelope, authorization letter, copy of tickets or itinerary, and payment, by Federal Express to:

Processing Information

• Your application will be hand carried to the U.S. Passport Agency. There, the Passport Agent will examine the application and if all documents are in order, assign a date the passport will be issued, according to departure date from the U.S.,
• Passport applications submitted by mail to passport agencies routinely take 6 to 8 weeks to be processed. TDS expedites applications by hand carrying them to the U.S. Passport Agency, and following up on the progress.
• Urgent issue applications can be issued in between 1 and 4 business days. For urgent issue please follow our Washington DC or San Francisco instructions. .
• A 48-page business travelers passport can be issued in lieu of the usual 24-page passport on request at no additional charge (however, ONLY if the larger books are available at the time of issue). Attach a note requesting a 48-page passport to the passport application.